WASHINGTON (FN) President Donald Trump said Thursday that only he and “a couple of other people” know the true status of negotiations with Iran, keeping details of talks shrouded in secrecy as Congress struggles to assert its authority over the conflict.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump insisted Iran is “dying to make a deal” but declined to provide specifics. His comments came as the Senate failed for the sixth time to advance a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing presidential authority, with the statutory 60‑day deadline to conclude hostilities looming.
The conflict began in February when U.S. forces launched strikes on Iranian military sites after intelligence reports of nuclear stockpile expansion. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on American bases in Iraq. A ceasefire was declared in late March after mediation by European and Gulf states, but the U.S. has maintained a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, choking off Iranian oil exports and driving global energy prices higher.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced the blockade as an extension of war and warned of “long and painful strikes” if hostilities resume. Regional tensions have escalated further, with Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killing at least 32 people in April, underscoring how the conflict is spilling into neighboring countries.
Energy markets remain volatile, with Brent crude trading around S111 per barrel, its highest level since 2022. U.S. gasoline prices have surged to S4.30 per gallon, while Iran’s currency has fallen to a record low against the dollar.
Trump has hinted at new military options, including intensified strikes or operations to secure Iran’s nuclear stockpile, but continues to insist Tehran is desperate for a deal. Analysts say the secrecy surrounding negotiations adds uncertainty, while Congress remains deadlocked on limiting presidential war powers.
For now, the ceasefire holds, but the president’s remarks highlight the opacity of talks and the fragile balance between diplomacy and escalation in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
